Pro Tempore
by DanieXJ
Summary: A little Buffy, a little ER, mix and get insanity. First in my 'Sunnydale' Series .
1. Chapter 1

Title: Pro Tempore

Pairing(s): Kim/Kerry, Willow/Tara, Anya/Xander

Summary: A little Buffy, a little ER, mix and get insanity.

A/N: What can I say, when I wrote it, it was spring finals, sophomore year, and I believe that I was intensely stressed and slightly off kilter.

Disclaimer: I don't own most of the characters.

* * *

"You're making a habit of these trips to 'Africa' Kerry."

"Bugger off Robert. I have work to do. I gave you more notice this time, it was a...family emergency. It's not my fault that this place doesn't run right without me."

"I think that Susan d..."

Kerry shoved a stack of papers in front of Robert. "Yes, she definitely did something, and while I will grant you, she could have screwed up worse, let's just say she isn't quite 'management on her own' material."

Robert scanned the papers in his hand, "Damnit, how the hell did this happen. I'm gonna..."

"No..."

Robert raised his eyebrows, "You don't know what I was going to say."

"You're not going to fire her. I fixed the problem, and whether I like it or not, it does help to have her take over some of the less..."

"Mathematical?"

"...paperwork oriented parts of the job. She's fine with charts and she's actually a pretty good teacher. Add to that the fact that she has actually acquired a bedside manner." Kerry shook her head and stared at Robert. "Take my word for it... you Do not want to fire her. If you catch my drift."

Robert looked down at the papers and then back up at Kerry. "Well, this doesn't preclude me from finding her and reaming her out." Robert got a glint in his eye, "Or would you like to do that Kerry?"

Kerry gestured randomly towards the door as she looked back down at what she had been working on when he came storming in the lounge door. "No... be my guest."

Romano gripped the papers tighter and paced his way out of the room. Kerry heard him yell, "Jamie..." and winced.

"They should all wear name tags, then he'll remember their names."

"He was going to fire me..."

Kerry fell out of her chair with a yelp. "Lord in heaven above Susan Lewis you scared the shit out of me."

Kerry slowly got back up and sat down on the chair while Susan took a look out of the window in the door. "Why didn't you let him fire me?"

Kerry shrugged, "It was partially my fault. I needed to go to Africa...again...and went, even though I knew you weren't up for taking over everything. So, it is my fault."

Susan still looked confused, "But why didn't you ream me out?"

Kerry took a deep breath, "I'm not always a bitch Susan. Some people actually like me. Now, not to be...bitchy, but I have a bit of a deadline and I want to get home sometime in the next hour."

Susan started to speak, but wound up simply shaking her head and walking out the door. She groaned as she saw Robert walking towards her. "Dr. Lewis, you and I are going to have a little chat..."


	2. Chapter 2

Spike prowled around the streets. He took one last suck of his cigarette and flicked it to the ground. He glanced as he smashed it into the ground with his heel. He took a deep breath. "It's good to be back."

Spike's face morphed into his bumpy head and he growled with a smile. He surveyed the street for his entrée, by the small amount of blood still on his incisors he had already sampled an appetizer. His eyes lit up as much as the living dead's eyes can light up. "Ah, now there's a beauty."

He returned his face to human form and strolled up to the statuesque lady. "Well good evening Miss. Beautiful night for a stroll wouldn't you say?"

The blonde goddess shrugged, "Yeah, whatever you say. Can you point me the way to the hospital?"

"Oh love, I can get you a one way trip." Spike pounced on the woman and slammed her against the wall. The blonde swallowed but didn't move a muscle as Spike transformed into a Vampire. "Now, the little punk had spice to him, but you know, I've always been more of a classic flavor man. Are you a classic beautiful?"

The blonde struggled to get away, but Spike's unearthly strength kept her pinned against the wall. Spike slowly used his teeth to pull back the shirt material that prevented him from gaining access to her neck.

He finally got it down enough to bite and he wiggled his eyebrows at the woman. "You'll be a tasty treat."

As he went in for the bite he caught a glance of the cross that the woman wore around her neck. A very, unique cross. A cross that he recognized.

Spike reared back, but still kept hold of the woman. "Bloody hell." Slowly he gripped both the woman's hands in one of his and reached towards the cross. He grimaced and hissed as the cross touched his skin, but he had managed to turn it over, "Satan's tits that hurt."

He peered at the cross and the inscription too tiny for most people to read. He shook his head, "You just couldn't have just been another dame. Any other flipping dame, hell even the slayer..."

Buffy tackled him and they both went flying to the side. "You rang?"

Spike threw her off and came back at the woman. Who started to run. Spike caught her arm. "I don't think so." He looked up at the sky, "She's gonna kill me for this." He punched the woman, and laid her on the ground.

Spike flew forward as Buffy attacked him again. He gritted his teeth and whirled around. "I don't have time for this Slayer. Leave."

Buffy laughed, "Yes, of course, and let you eat half of Sunnydale. I don't think so."

Spike shook his head as he ducked a punch and kicked Buffy across the street, "No, you don't understand." Buffy came back at him at a full run. He could see the fury in her eyes, he shook his head, "And if I'm not truly and utterly deader than dead after I get back, she's gonna kill me." Spike picked up a slat of wood from behind him and used it like a cricket bat. Buffy went flying back across the street from where she came, and slumped to the ground in a heap.

Spike glanced down at the unconscious blonde and shook his head. He heaved her up onto his shoulder. "God, could she be any more ganglier?"

* * *

"Hey, you're on tonight Dr. Weaver? I thought you had the night off."

Kerry shook her head and looked up at the board. "Nope, swapped with Luka, he had a date or something otherwise inconsequential. He's never asked to switch with me before, so I caved."

"Getting soft huh?"

Kerry raised an eyebrow and looked over her shoulder, "You're lucky you're Randi, Randi..."

Randi looked around the ER. Everywhere but at Kerry. "Right...so then...I'm going back to work. I think that there is a bowel dis-impaction in four."

"Gallant"

Michael groaned and followed after Kerry. "See, I knew she was going to say that."


	3. Chapter 3

Spike growled. "Get out of my bloody way will you. I don't need help."

"But you are bleeding."

Spike put a hand up to his mouth and barely restrained rolling his eyes, "Gum problem. They... bleed a lot."

Carter didn't look at all convinced. "What were you doing in the lounge anyway?"

Spike started to bare his teeth but stopped when he heard a voice. "What are you doing here in Chicago William?"

Spike looked up at Kerry. She looked as though she was about to stake him. He held up his hands, "Look, look. I'm not going to cause any trouble. And I'm not staying long. Have a Slayer to kill you know." Spike smirked at this for a moment and then shook his head.

Kerry moved Carter out of the way and stood face to face with Spike who swallowed. "Then why are you here, in my town William."

Carter mouthed, 'her town'. Randi shrugged.

Spike held his hands up, "You did me a favor. I happened upon a particular cross in my travels. One I remember you talking... avidly about. So I have now returned your favor. We're even. So don't think that next time we meet I will be so... nice" He raised an eyebrow.

Kerry tilted her head to one side. "So, where did you leave this...cross?"

Spike jerked his head towards the lounge, "Your little place of gathering. Well, I need to get back to California. But I could always pay a visit upstairs. Then all you would have to do is a little... dusting..." Spike raised an eyebrow.

Kerry raised her own eyebrow, "Go home William. We're even, so go home."

Spike inclined his head forward, "With that, I am gone. Come to Sunnydale in a couple of months, I'll give you the grand tour before I turn you." Spike laughed as he strolled out the emergency bay door.

Carter put a hand on Kerry's shoulder. "Are you okay Dr. Weaver?"

Kerry rolled her eyes, "Yes, I'm fine Carter. Don't you have something to do."

"W-who was that...guy?"

"William the Bloody."

Carter looked even more confused, "Who?"

Kerry shook her head, "Look it up." She paced towards the lounge, not quite sure what she would find inside. She wasn't ready for what she found.


	4. Chapter 4

Kerry was by Kim's side in a moment. Kim was just coming around. "Ugh, what hit me... Colorado?"

Kerry said, "Did he hurt you. I'm gonna skin his undead hide." Kim blinked a few times. "What is the last thing you remember?"

Kim closed her eyes, "Blond guy with... fangs... punched me out. After roughing me up. I thought he was going to... but then he saw my..." Kim looked down and pulled the small cross out from under her shirt. "...and he stopped. Said something about how why couldn't I have been any other dame. Then some short blonde tackled him. It kind of gets fuzzy after that."

"Colorado?"

Kim closed her eyes again, "I was... in a Winnebago or something. He growled, and punched me again." Kim looked around, "Uh, why am I in Chicago?"

Kerry sat back on the couch and shook her head, "Will brought you."

"Will?"

"William the Bloody. The Vampire who attacked you."

Kim pulled a hand through her hair and glanced around the room. Finally her eyes rested on Kerry. "Okay, I'm going to start with the obvious one. Are you stressed Kerry... Vampire. There are no such things."

Kerry crossed her arms over her chest, "What happened when he touched your cross."

"Wha..." Kerry waited. "He flinched."

Kerry gestured outside, "What time of day was it?"

Kim looked out the window, "Night, like now... so..."

Kerry looked up towards the ceiling, "Haven't you ever seen Dracula. Crosses, holy water, stakes, and the sun are things Vamps definitely don't like. Vampires even have...fangs..."

Kim got up and started to pace, "But if Vampires are so dangerous why did that waif of a girl attack him?"

"She's the slayer, the one chosen in her generation to stake vampires etcetera... etcetera... William is in love with her."

Kim turned on her heel and headed back towards Kerry, "Vampires can love? I thought that they generally..." Kim spoke in a Transylvania accent, "Drank your blood."

Kerry covered her mouth, but a snort came out and her upper body started shaking. Kim kept pacing. Finally Kerry stopped laughing, "Will you sit down. You're making me dizzy. Plus, I want to check you for a concussion."

Kim smirked a little as she sat on the table in front of the couch, "You get to stare deep into my eyes. I can deal with that."

Kerry put a hand over Kim's eyes and then took it off and watched the pupils. "Don't start Kim." Kerry held up all five fingers of her hand. "How many fingers?"

"Four." Kerry looked closer at Kim who smirked again, "And a thumb."

"Lord, you still haven't grown up."

Kim shrugged and moved from the table to a chair near the couch. "So basically this William the Bloody. Which by the way, if his parents named him that then they shouldn't be surprised when he became a vampire."

Kerry rolled her eyes, "First of all, you don't... become a vampire. Another Vampire sires you. In this case Angel was his sire. And he didn't get his nickname because of his Vampirish tendencies, he got it

because his poetry was bloody bad."

Kim laughed and then her face got serious when she saw that Kerry wasn't laughing, "Oh, you're serious. How did you meet this... Vampire... and yet, not get eaten."

"In a bar..."

Kim interrupted Kerry, "You met a vampire in a bar. Oh this just gets better and better."

Kerry blinked at Kim with a steely glare, "I was not finished, I met him in a bar...in Africa."

"Oh."

* * *

Kerry and Kim sat outside in the park under one of the lights. "This time of year is so beautiful. There are no bugs at night, and you can just go out and enjoy it."

"Do you come here often?"

Kerry smiled, "Yeah, with Pat."

"Pat? Boyfriend?" Kerry laughed. "Girlfriend?" This seemed to set Kerry off even more.

Finally she caught her breath, "Sorry, no, dog."

Kim blinked, "So, Africa. A bar."

Kerry scrunched around on the bench so that she was facing Kim. "Yes Africa. I... I think I told you about Mlungisi?" Kerry smiled wistfully, "My first real boyfriend?" Kim nodded, "He died. I had just broken up with Sandy, for the second time. Then I got this news. I... I had to go, he was one of the pillars of my life. Always there." Kerry looked up, "He wouldn't even let me call him. He would pick up the phone and once he heard it was my voice wouldn't even say anything, but would just hang up the phone and call me back. God I miss him."

Kim's hand was halfway to Kerry's shoulder when Kerry cleared her throat and continued talking, Kim took her hand back as Kerry looked back down at Kim. "I wasn't in the best state of mind after the funeral. So, I went out and found a place to get drunk. The one constant in the world. Alcohol. I had only had one or three shots when this blond swaggering young male, William, comes staggering up to the bar. He starts going on about this chip, and steel, and wire, and silly cone. Then, he starts babbling on about 'the damn slayer' and how he can't be a man. Then he punched me."

"What?"

Kerry nodded, "If I hadn't seen it I wouldn't have believed it. The punch hurt him more than it hurt me. He was cradling his head and grunting. I asked him if I could do anything to help." Kim raised an eyebrow, "Well I was half off my rocker Legaspi." Kim hid a smile, "Anyway. He answered, 'Get this damn chip out of my head'. Being drunk as I was I was like, 'sure'. He was definitely surprised at that answer. It seemed that the whole point that he had come over to Africa was to get it out... somehow. Something about not being able to be a monster, but not being a man. I don't know, I took it out."

Kim did a triple blink, "Just like that. You took out the chip that was stopping him from draining humans of all their blood. Were you suicidal?"

Kerry got up from bench, "I don't need to justify anything I do with you. You gave up the right to judge me when you left with no word for California. I had to find out from the Nurses where you were. Well, I went on with my life..."

Kim growled, "Got a boyfriend, got a dog, probably doomed the whole world."

Kerry slammed her crutch down on the ground, "Damnit Kim, you didn't see the pain that was in his eyes. Pain that I go through every damn day. He hurt the one he loves, he hurt her in such a way that she will never trust him ever again. He lives with that every day. He rambled on and on about this slayer, Buffy he called her. Believe me Kim, I did him a favor."

Kim took a deep breath, "Yes, and now he will go back and beat up on this Buffy again."

Kerry looked to her right and shook her head. In a calmer voice she spoke, "No, what I did was take away her excuse. Now that he's a monster again, even if she doesn't kill him. Someone will."

Kim stood up, brushed imaginary lint off her jacket, and crossed her arms over her chest. "And if you're wrong. What if this Buffy decides that she loves him again?"

"Didn't you yourself say that you saw her tackle him off of you?" Kim opened her mouth and closed it. "Look, he's across the country. Maybe it was stupid. But you know what, sometimes I'm not the perfect person." Kerry started to walk away. She only got a couple of steps before she turned back around, "And Sandy is a woman."


	5. Chapter 5

"Will you stop fucking pacing Kimmy."

"Don't call me Kimmy. You know I hate that."

Christie sidled up to Kim, "Mmm...last time I called you that you said, 'oh yeah...yeah...yeah...' if I remember correctly."

"I'm leaving."

"And going where?"

Kim closed her eyes for a moment. "Anywhere but here."

* * *

Kim stood in front of the brownish/red door. Finally it opened by itself. Kim glanced up surprised. "Well are you going to come in or examine the workmanship in fine detail?"

Kim's legs took her inside Kerry's house even as her mind was screaming wait and think about it. "I'm sorry."

Kerry took Kim's coat and hung it up, "Why, you weren't there. It is in no way your fault."

"No, I'm sorry I didn't tell you where I was, where I was going, why I was going. I'm sorry that you had no one there for you when you lost a dear friend..." Kim sat down on the couch, "I'm sorry..." She felt a wet nose on her leg and looked down.

Kerry smiled, "I did have one shoulder to cry on, though he isn't so much of a conversationalist." As if to spite Kerry, Patriot barked. Kerry laughed, "Kim Legaspi, meet Patriot Weaver. The newest part of the Weaver clan."

Kim raised an eyebrow, "There's a clan?"

"Very select."

Kim petted Patriot absent mindedly, "Are there any...other members of the Weaver clan at the moment?"

"Well, I'm thinking of making Gallant a second cousin. Maybe that'll get him to stop calling me Ma'am so damn often."

"Gallant?"

Kerry smiled, "Michael Gallant. He's smart, and has respect for his elders. He was the one with me when I delivered the baby by C-section in the back of an ambulance in a rainstorm when the ambulance was kinda... electrically charged."

Kim's hand stopped and her mouth hung open. She snapped out of it as Patriot hit his head up against her hand. "You've been...busy."

Kerry shrugged, "Was outed in the middle of the ER by Sandy." Kim frowned, "Then got back with her. She helped me so much throughout the death of Mark."

Kim looked down for a second, "Yes, I heard... Abby called me. He was... was he a friend?"

Kerry thought for a moment, "Yes, yes I would guess in my twisted way, he was." Kerry cleared her throat. "But this has all been about me, what have you been doing?"

Kim shrugged, "Almost got all my blood drained by a Vampire. Got driven halfway across the country by the same Vampire. Came..." Kim held her thumb and forefinger close together, "This close to bitch slapping Christie. And now I'm sitting in Kerry Weaver's living room, petting her dog, and realizing that she did exactly what I wanted her to do. And also realizing and wishing that she hadn't."

Kerry frowned, "What do you mean you wish I hadn't."

Kim held up a hand, "No...look. What I mean, is, you've grown so much. I can. You're not the Kerry Weaver that I went out with." Kim took a breath, "Actually, you're more like the Kerry Weaver that I heard all the stories about in my first weeks there."

"The Alpha Bitch?"

"Yes... no... I don't know. You're the one who is good with words...not me."

Kerry was confused, "What?"

Kim swallowed, "Aren't you Carrie Phoenix? The...romance author?" Kim's started petting Patriot a bit faster, "Carly Halloran, Martin Bean?"

Kerry opened her mouth and closed it, "I... how did you know?"

"Phoenix... fire... red... and well... Carrie. Are you going to stick the crutch somewhere where a crutch shouldn't go now?"

Kerry paused for a moment, and then smiled, "I thought that I had changed the characterizations enough. After it got found in the ER a few years ago, I... tried harder to make the characters original."

"It was your character in the story who gave it away." Kim stopped petting Patriot. Who promptly went over to Kerry, who resumed the petting.

"So, when are you going back to San Francisco?"

"Actually that is why I was in Sunnydale. They were looking for a new Psych Chief, it seems their last one." Kim thought for a second, "Let's see if I remember this correctly. They're last chief was ingested by a dragon?" Kim coughed, "At the time, I thought that the Chief of Staff was being sarcastic... Now... I'm not so sure."

Kerry chortled, "Well, I'm sure you'll find something in California. All those actors...all they're psych cases in some way..."

Kim nodded slowly, "What would you say if I said I wanted to move back to Chicago."

"And have winter again? Why would you want that?"

"I... you want to have lunch tomorrow? If you're off for lunch."

Kerry was caught flatfooted, "What? Sure... I'm off until six tomorrow."

Kim nodded and smiled, "Good. Now, I have to go find a hotel and maybe even some clothes."

"I... wait just a second." Kerry moved out of the room into the rest of the house. A moment later she came back with, a pair of socks, a pair of jeans, a pair of slacks, a T-shirt, and a semi-formal blouse.

"I...It didn't seem right throwing them out...o-or giving them away. I..." Kerry thrust them at Kim. "I'll see you tomorrow. Around eleven?"

Kim took a breath in and held it for a second in reflection and then nodded as she blew out the breath. "Yes, yeah...eleven sounds good. We can catch up on old times. You can tell me how in the world, or where in the world you did an operation on a vampire."

Kerry nodded.


	6. Chapter 6

Kim sat across from Kerry on a blanket. They had just finished up a picnic lunch and were waiting for it to digest before they went their separate ways. "So, you... told this Vampire... William you said his name was. About us?"

"Well, we didn't have any sort of pain reduction medication. He was drunk, and asked me to take his mind off it."

Kim smirked, "So you used him as a ranting board."

Kerry cleared her throat. "I wouldn't say that... exactly."

Kim sobered a little. "Are you going to be okay? I mean. I wish that I was there for you. I know that Mlungisi meant a lot to you, and Mark too."

Kerry rubbed her temples for a moment. "He was the reason that I called you after the whole Christie bad dinner crap. We talked one night after that and I was very morose. After he got me to admit that I had fallen for a woman he promptly told me to get my head out of my ass and call you up. That they were your dimwitted friends and what they thought of me, or our relationship was..." Kerry smiled for a moment, "crap in the perfect oatmeal of our relationship." Kerry lowered her voice and affected an accent, "Now, what you have to do is scoop out the crap. The phone call is the scooper Zuri."

Kim laughed at the imagery she got. "What does Zuri mean?"

Kerry blushed to the root of her hair and to the tips of her toes. "Uh... it... doesn't really effect the story. Anyway. So, that's why I called you. Not that it did any good in the long run."

Kim looked at Kerry with a puppy dog look, "Please Ker, what does Zuri mean..."

Kerry spoke in such a soft voice that Kim had to lean forward to hear her, "Beautiful."

Kim smiled, "Mlungisi was a smart man."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Finally Kim broke it, "Romano contacted me yesterday."

Kerry frowned, "What did he want."

"He wanted me to..." A body, naked body, came flying out of the sky and plopped down between the two women. On the chocolate that was left over from the women's picnic.

The naked woman groaned and opened her eyes. She quickly tried to cover her nakedness. Both Kerry and Kim quickly stripped off their spring jackets and handed them to the young woman. She put one over her legs and shrugged into the other and zipped it up. "T-thank you. Um...w-where am I?"


	7. Chapter 7

Kerry was the first one to regain her brain functions. "Chicago. Where were you before?"

"I-I'm not quite s-s-sure."

Kerry nodded, "What's your name?"

"Tara"

"Maclay?"

Tara looked up at Kerry with both fear and surprise in her face. "How did you know that?"

Kerry didn't answer, instead she muttered to herself. "You'd think, working in the County ER there would be more than enough insanity in my life, but no, have to add a Vampire, and formerly dead lover of a semi-friend of the said Vamp, and next thing you know I'm going to have an evil witch to deal with too."

Kim finally got her bearings and spoke, "We should, you should get out of the cold air. Since you have, not a lot of clothes on. I'd offer you clothes and a warm place, but I too kinda got dropped here."

Tara blinked, very confused, and turned to Kerry, "Y-you do this often?"

Kerry held her head in her hands, "God no. C'mon, we can go back to my place and get you some clothes. I might have to dig into the clothes left by the ex pile though." Now Kim joined Tara in confusion. "Michael my ex, not you or Sandy."

* * *

Tara sat on the couch with her hands clenched in front of her. Kim was sprawled on a chair across the room and Kerry on another chair nearer to the couch. "C-can I ask a q-question?"

Kerry nodded, "I'm pretty sure I know what it will be, but sure."

"Are we related."

Kerry's eyes got very large, "Wh...what?" Kim snorted in laughter from her corner. Kerry glared, "Shh you. Go make some hot chocolate or something." Kim laughed and shook her head but didn't move. Kerry looked back at Tara. "Why would you say that?"

Tara winced, "I'm sorry, it's just... y-you look a lot like... like my mother did. She had red hair...w-was kind of short." Kerry raised an eyebrow, "N-not that you're short, because I can t-tell th-that you're w-well respected. And I k-k-know lots o-of short people who are r-really ni-i-ce. I'm b-babbling a-aren't I."

Kim was convulsing in laughter in the corner. Kerry shot a gaze at Kim before she turned back to Tara. "Tara, believe me, calling me short was not an insult. Do you have a picture of some sort?"

Kim snorted again. Kerry finally whirled and faced Kim straight on, "Do you have something to contribute to this discussion Kim or are you just going to sit there laughing at us?"

Kim tried to stop speak, but it came out incomprehensible because of the bouts of laughter that interrupted the syllables. Kerry finally shook her head and crutched to the kitchen.

Tara finally looked over at Kim, "I th-think you're in trouble."

Kim laughed once more, "You've just said a mouthful Tara." Kim cleared her throat and coughed once. "So Tara, how did you wind up falling out of the sky?"

Tara frowned, "I don't know. The l-last thing I remember was saying. 'Your shirt' to my...to a friend. I-I think I got shot." Tara's frown got deeper. "I wish that I remembered more."

Kim shook her head, "Don't push it. Remember, if it is important you'll remember it."

Tara winced, "Oh...ow...ow..."

Kim was up out of her chair, and Kerry came in from the kitchen and leaned over Tara. There was blood on the left center part of Tara's shirt. Kerry pulled back Tara's shirt until she could see the affected area. She took a deep breath. "It is only skin deep. Still, you should probably wash it, and bandage it. But it doesn't even look deep enough to need stitches."

"W-where is the bathroom?"

Kerry pointed, "Down the hall to the left. Second door. Everything is above the sink."

"T-thank you."

Tara left the room and Kerry turned towards Kim, "What happened. A cut like that can't just appear."

Kim raised an eyebrow, "Are you insinuating that I did it?"

Kerry rolled her eyes, "No, did Tara trip or fall. Although I would have heard it."

Kim shook her head, "Nope, her chest just started bleeding."

The front door blew open with a whoosh and went flying through the front hall and slammed into the wall near the living room. Kerry moved towards the ruined door, "What the fu..." Before she could finish her sentence a fiery red head narrowed her fully black eyes at Kerry.

Kerry went flying one way through the air as her crutch flew the other way. She slammed against the wall and stayed there as if held by a hidden hand. She gasped for breath but none would move past the invisible barrier that was held against her throat. "Where is she." When the red head bellowed this Patriot darted into the kitchen. He knew power when he smelled it.

Kerry was getting a purplish tint to her face as Tara spoke from the doorway. "Willow?"

Suddenly Willow's black eyes just vanished and Kerry dropped to the ground with a crash. Kim rushed over to Kerry. "Are you all right Ker?"

Kerry coughed a few times and tried to bring her ragged breathing back to its normal in and out routine. Once she got her breathing under control she took Kim's hand and leaned on Kim to get her crutch. She slowly brought her attention to Tara and the red head in the doorway to the living room.

Willow caught sight of the band-aid and whirled, "If you touched her I swear to God."

Kerry met Willow's gaze with an equal stare of her own. "It looked to me as if you were swearing to someone other than God a minute ago." With that Kerry raised an eyebrow.

Willow's jaw moved back and forth a few times. "Why is Tara here?"

Before Kerry could speak Kim spoke up, "She fell out of the sky onto our chocolate, which by the way, I had been about to eat. She was naked, we brought her back here and lent her some of Kerry's clothes."

During Kim's speech Kerry had crutched over to the door that looked quite roughed up. "Well, that's going to be interesting to explain to the repairman."

Willow looked over at the door. "Oh..." She waved her hand and Kerry had to jump back or be hit by the door which flew back into place and fixed itself.

Tara took a step back from Willow. "You don't even have black eyes. How?"

Willow seemed to sag, "I kinda... well... I mean, you got shot...I kinda..." Tara crossed her arms, "Osiris."

Tara threw her arms up, "I was right. I can't trust you. I was gone how long before you turned back to the dark arts?"

Even though Willow couldn't physically sag anymore, both doctors saw that somehow she did. "You're death was instantaneous. I was covered with your blood. My best friend lay dying in the garden downstairs." Willow pulled a hand through her hair, "I'd say about twenty-five seconds." Willow sighed. "I'll-I'm going to leave now. I'm sorry about your door and everything."

Willow started towards the entrance way but Kerry moved in front of the red haired girl. "No."

Willow stared at Kerry, "You just saw what I did to the door, and I choked you without even using my hands. And you stand there and say no. Do you have a death wish?"

"You know, I'm beginning to see that I do. Because anyone in their right mind would let you leave. Luckily for you, I'm insane, lucky for me Kim is a Psychiatrist."

Willow frowned, "That made less sense than what I usually speak. Now get out of my way, or I will move you."

Kerry stood there. Willow started to move forward to touch Kerry on the shoulder. Both Tara and Kim saw what she was going to do and dove for Willow. This meant that Kerry, Kim, and Tara were all touching Willow as she completed the spell with her mind.


	8. Chapter 8

The three women gasped when they appeared somewhere else. Kim and Kerry were totally turned around. Willow caught herself on the couch before she fainted. But she was pretty drained from transporting not one but three other people. Tara knew where they were, it had been Joyce's bedroom first, and then her and Willow's bedroom. There was even still a blood stain on the rug where she had fallen after getting shot. Her guess was confirmed when she heard a soft voice. "Tara?"

Dawn came flying at Tara and engulfed her in a humongous hug. "How, you were dead. I thought." Dawn realized that she was probably hugging Tara a bit too hard. "It worked...I mean..." Dawn swallowed.

Dawn backed up a few steps and looked down at the floor. "No one was paying any attention to me. Again. Willow was all vengeance-y going after the bastard Warren and stupid blonde guy. Jonathan was all right. You know...he told Buffy how to defeat Warren... course, if she hadn't done that...then you wouldn't be... have been dead. Buffy and Xander were all about the stopping Willow, and Spike... we don't know where Spike went, but now he's all evil again. So I kinda... I... no one was paying attention. No one seemed to understand that Tara was dead... gone... and that Tara..." Dawn turned to Tara, "You're like my Mom Tara. I couldn't, I knew that if you were there you would have told me that I had to be strong for Willow. But Willow wasn't being strong, and Buffy and Xander didn't even care that you were dead. So I kinda went to Rack. AndusedsomeofmyKeyenergy to... you know... bring you back." Dawn looked back up at Tara and made a very sad and contrite face. "I'm sorry. I know... I shouldn't have...but I've lost my Mom, I've lost Buffy, and then to lose you and Willow. I'm sorry."

Dawn started to back out of the room, but Tara spoke quickly, "Kim." Kim grabbed one of Dawn's arms lightly. This gave Tara enough time to walk over to Dawn and give her a large hug. "I'm sorry Dawnie."

Kim moved closer to the hallway and glanced over at Kerry who was doing the same thing. "Okay, we're gonna go downstairs. You guys...stay up here. Work...things out...'kay?"

Tara nodded mutely as Kim and Kerry made their escape and closed the door.

* * *

Kerry took a deep breath as she sat down next to Kim on the sofa. "This makes our troubles look like child's play huh?"

Kim smiled, "Yeah, it kinda does."

Kerry tucked one leg under her and turned to face Kim. "What did Robert want?"

Kim blinked confused, "Robert?"

Kerry laughed, "Okay, before the naked woman, or the smashing of my door, or the strangling, or the transportation. We were having desert, you said that Robert had gotten a hold of you. What did he want?"

"Oh, he wanted to ask me..."

Buffy entered the room and growled, "Who the fuck are you. Get the hell out of my house."

Kerry took a deep breath, "No. Please continue Kim. And if you try to pull me or Kimberly out by our collars you'll have my crutch shoved so far up your ass they'll have to remove it surgically." Kerry turned towards Kim who's jaw was gaping open. "Kim...what did Robert want?"

Kim blinked three times, "Uh... he wanted to know if I wanted the position of Chief of Psychiatry, I said yes."

"Oh."


	9. Chapter 9

Dawn came down the stairs and peeked in the living room. "Buffy, you're back."

Buffy gritted her teeth, "Do you know those two?"

Dawn shrugged, "Technically, no, Willow transported them or something. I'm not entirely clear on it." Dawn's face burst into a big grin. "Tara's back. She's alive." Her grin faded a little, "And she's royally pissed at Willow for using dark magicks. Worse than last time."

Everyone heard a crash upstairs. Buffy was up the stairs in a flash, followed closely behind by Kerry, Dawn and finally Kim. Who didn't really want to face the obviously very pissed off witch in the bedroom upstairs. On the other hand, Kim wasn't going to let Kerry out of her sight. So, she followed the troops up the stairs.

Buffy was standing in front of a cowering Tara and there were two new people in the room. One a blonde woman, and the other a black haired solidly built guy. The guy spoke, "Why the hell did you do that Anya. Lordy, I'm gonna be sick."

Anya stared at the man, "Xander Harris nothing will get through to you. Nothing... you're so thick headed that even if a bullet had hit you it would have bounced off."

Willow growled under her breath, "You take her side. I'm your best friend Buffy. I've always been there, saved your life."

"You're not being you Will...you have to stop this."

"Oh, so then why don't you shoot me. It would solve all our problems. You wouldn't have to love someone, I wouldn't be alive. You could live another thousand years going from place to place, hurting everyone because you are the one hurting."

"You hurt ME Xander. Remember that. I was at the altar...well, the back of the church. I was waiting for you. D'Hofferyn above I'm still waiting for you to remove your skull from your gluteus maximus."

"Oh I'll stop it all right."

Dawn stepped next to Willow, Kerry started to pull her back. Willow whirled around and growled, "Stay out of this Red." She flicked her hand and Kerry went crashing into a bookshelf. Most of the books and boxes fell all over. Kim rushed over as all the Scoobies continued fighting crescendo-ing until no one could hear themselves think, and they surely couldn't hear what each other person was saying.

Kerry gripped her stomach as Kim kneeled down. "Are you okay Ker? I could just..."

Kerry groaned, "No... she'll just hurt you. I'm fine... just a little pain, I live with it every day right?"

Kim nodded slowly. Kerry looked over at the blonde. "You know, being slammed into a wall not once, but twice..."

Kim interrupted her, "It was a bookcase."

Kerry rolled her eyes, "Wall, bookcase, felt the same to me."

"Oh."

Kerry took a breath, "It has kind of knocked some sense into me. I want to try again. Slowly..."

"...with both of us knowing what is going on. Maybe have a date or two before the U-Haul." Kerry poked Kim in the stomach.

Kim looked seriously at Kerry, "No hiding"

Kerry nodded slowly, and held up one finger, "No mauling me in the ER..."

Kim smirked, "How about up in Psych?"

Kerry stared at Kim, "No mauling allowed on County property."

Kim stuck out her bottom lip, "That's not fair at all. Not even on the roof? Little kisses... hand holding... gazing into the depths of your gorgeous sparkly green eyes? Watching as they get greener and

greener...then..."

Kerry put a hand over Kim's mouth. Kim smirked over the hand, "Little kisses, hand holding...no mauling, or pinching."

Kim snapped her fingers and Kerry laughed. Xander meanwhile got shoved into the bookcase. He bounced right off as a last photo fluttered down into Kerry's lap. She blinked a few times and glanced up at Kim who also had an astonished look on her face.

"Oh. My. GOD."


	10. Chapter 10

Everyone stopped speaking and moving and they all turned to stare at Kim and Kerry. Kerry stuttered, "W-who is th-this a picture of?"

Tara was the one who answered, since she recognized the size and shape. Since she had been the one who had cut it from an original Maclay Family picture so many years ago. "That's my Mother."

Kim's jaw opened and closed, "But, it can't be...I mean...that's...Kerry..."

Tara walked over to where Kerry was still sprawled. "No, it is part of a family picture taken a year before she died. Um... it was taken five years ago."

Kerry swallowed, "How old was she..."

Tara blinked, "She would have been forty-one this year."

"W-when...what's her birth date?"

"August 12th."

"Oh God." Kerry collapsed against Kim, who wrapped her arms around Kerry as tears leaked from her green eyes.

Tara slowly got back up and went back to where Buffy was sitting on the bed.

Anya spoke semi-softly to Xander, "Are Tara and the red head related?"

Xander didn't even think before he spoke, "Shhh...Anya."

Anya whirled, "I will not shut up. It is a perfectly good question, and every single person in this damn room is thinking it, but I'm the only one with enough balls to say it." Anya snorted, "And considering that I'm female, well... you see where I'm going with this."

"You're rude Anya, you will never really be human. Even if you do get Xander to marry you again. You'll always be vengeance in human form."

"Bitch...I can take you, you know. I'm not all that human at the moment."

Buffy turned towards Anya and narrowed her eyes, "That was why you were asking those questions. So that we could do harm to Xander. You low down..."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Everyone glared at Kim as she stood up, bringing Kerry with her. "Anya, I don't know your deal. Get over it. Xander acted like a pussy boy with no spine. He is so torn up inside that everyone in this room can see it. But all you're thinking about is how you looked that day, and how hurt you are. GET over it."

Xander had a triumphant grin on his face. "Xander, you're an idiot. Just because your father and mother can't have a marriage that works doesn't mean that yours will follow suit. Lord God above, if that was the case then there'd be a hell of a lot more single people on this planet. Get over yourself."

Kim turned to Willow, "I don't know what your deal is, or what you're on. But if you don't stop bashing my love around I'm going to get primeval on your ass. I don't care what color your eyes are, don't mess with her, she's my life. As for your pain. She's alive. She's standing right there. Period. Stop being so self involved and petty and grow the fuck up."

Tara looked apprehensively at Kim, "We're going to talk later Tara." Tara nodded her hair falling in front of her face.

Buffy started to speak but Kim interrupted her. "Don't think that you're getting away... Buffy was it... You are so self involved that you could have your own friggin' T.V. show. Listen to the people

around you some time. Maybe realize that sometimes you're going to do things wrong. That sometimes life throws you this knuckleball that can't actually be hit... ever... so you let it go for a strike and get on with your life. Go to a movie, plant a garden," Kim smirked as she said the last one, "Write a book."

Kim started helping Kerry to the door, as she left she looked back at stunned faces. "Now, I'm done."


	11. Chapter 11

Kerry looked up at Kim as they left the Summers' residence. "Do you have any idea where you're going?"

"Not... a... clue. I just had to...they were driving me insane."

"I want to stay."

Kim's eyes bugged out, "What?"

"Hey, that's my line."

Kim rolled her eyes, "Ha ha. Look at me laughing my ass off. But really, why? It is so..."

"Not like me?"

"Well, I was going to say impulsive. But to each her own." Kim stopped on the sidewalk, took a hold of Kerry's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Do you mean it?"

Kerry took a deep breath, "Romano is a asshole cow and getting more bovine by the minute. The ER's budget seems to be going down the toilet. Romano has had Susan take over all the fun parts of my job. The new boy Pratt is a brat..." Kerry tilted her head to one side for a moment and then shook it. "Plus, I want to get to know my family."

Kim took a deep breath, "Not to play Devil's Advocate or anything. But how can you be sure that she is your sister."

"Because I see that face that is in that picture every day in the mirror. Not a reasonable facsimile, not somewhere close, but that face. She has the same birthday as me, and we would be the same age. The only difference. Well okay, there is more than one. But she had a family, I didn't."

Kim mused for a second. Kerry could see the wheels turning. "Well, this town does seem to need some Psychiatric help. And just dealing with those young adults could become a full time job." Kerry snorted.

Kerry leaned into Kim. Wrapping her arms around the lanky blonde. "We should probably get back to their house, make sure they haven't killed each other. Talk to Tara. Thank you for not reaming her out too."

Kim smiled and gave Kerry a lingering kiss. "You're welcome. But there really was no reason to. She got shot, and then came back to life. Not exactly her own fault now is it." Kerry smiled.


	12. Chapter 12

As Kerry and Kim walked in the door Kerry realized something. "So you're going to say no to Romano."

Kim smiled and kissed Kerry's hand. "Love, the only reason I said yes in the first place was because you were there."

"Oh."

Kim and Kerry walked into the house and living room. Tara was sitting on the couch next to Dawn. "Where'd everybody go?"

Tara sighed, "Willow stormed off. Xander and Anya went to... reconcile... Buffy went to go kill some vampires."

Kim frowned, "Does she do that often?"

"Run away from her problems? Mostly." Tara looked at Kerry, "D-do you still want to talk about m-my family?"

Kerry smiled and sat down next to Tara. "I bet Kim and Dawn would love to go make dinner..."

Kim glared at Kerry, and after Tara laughed Dawn glared at her. "We might have to h-have someone from P-poison control o-on hand..."

Kerry laughed a full throated laugh. Kim rolled her eyes and got up. She held a hand out to Dawn. "We'll leave these... women to their evil jokes. While we go make something that'll blow their socks off."

Dawn faux whispered to Kim, "Scrambled eggs?"

Kim shushed Dawn, "I might get bold and try Over-Easy."

Kerry and Tara were practically rolling on the floor laughing. Kim shook her head and headed towards the kitchen with Dawn in tow. "What a couple of loonies."

Dawn smiled, "Yeah, but Tara's cool. She's kinda like...she was I mean, like..."

"A mother figure?"

Dawn took a deep breath, "Yeah. That's screwed up huh?"

Kim took the skillet that Dawn got out. "Why do you say that? Has she always been there for you?" Dawn nodded, "Does she love you?"

Dawn nodded again, "She's said that she does."

"I still don't see why it's screwed up."

Dawn shrugged, "Never mind. So, are we going scrambled or over easy?"

Kim stopped what she was doing and turned towards Dawn, "I'm pretty good at this talking thing Dawn. Spill your guts, I assure you, there is no where safer to get all gutsy."

Dawn looked down, "Well, I mean, she's a witch, she was, you know, dead."

"...and she's a lesbian."

Dawn shook her head, "I know better than that. I guess it is just the whole coming back from the dead is making me kinda weirded out. I really will be okay." Dawn changed the subject, "Do you really think

that Kerry is Tara's aunt."

Kim went back to getting the eggs together for the breakfast, "I've spent my fair share of time getting to know Kerry Weaver's face. It was almost alarming how much Tara's mother looks like Kerry. So yes, I

think that they are somehow related. And even if they're not..."

* * *

Kerry tried to decide where to start. "What was her name?"

"Kathleen."

Kerry shifted uncomfortably, "Do you mind talking about her. If you don't want to..."

Tara took a deep breath, "No...no...it's okay. It's been four years. I'm...it doesn't get easier. She was like my best friend in the world. I mean, she had me when she was only twenty. So maybe that was part of it. She was also kind of..." Tara took a breath, "There is a kind of story passed down in our family. A falsehood. Supposedly all the women in my family are demons." Kerry looked confused, "We aren't. I'm not sure who started it, or what started it. My mom...she never got to see the world. Her father married her off after she got pregnant with my brother Donny. My father, Robert, she didn't love him. But Donny and me, she loved us with all the extra love." Tara smiled, "She used to sing to me, and when I had a nightmare she would stay with me until I fell asleep. She taught me how to braid my hair, and until I could do it myself she would do it any time I asked."

Tara took a deep breath lost in thought. Kerry inserted a question softly, "Did you know your grandmother?"

Tara's face exploded into a grin, "Áine. She was this short ball of energy and fire. She had red hair just like you and mom. I didn't know her for long. But when I was little she always paid attention to me. Even when my mother had to deal with Donny."

Tara and Kerry sat there in silence a little bit. "I uh...I have a box of stuff that was my grandmothers. But, I kinda...I've never h-had the guts to go through it. My father..." Tara looked down at her hands that were making funny shapes on the couch. "He always said that she was an evil woman, and a witch, and a bitch. But she was so nice, and you know, she was grandma..."

Kerry smiled sadly, "Are you sure you want to go through it. We don't have to do this."

Tara shook her head, "No, I want to."

Kim came into the room with a flourish and spoke with an English accent, "Dinna is Sehved."

Tara's stomach made a bit of a growling noise. "Um...I-I guess I'm h-hungry."

Dawn rolled her eyes, and quipped, "Being dead does that to a person."

Tara frowned for a moment and then laughed. "Right... being... dead... because I was... oh my, this is going to take a little getting used to."

Dawn snorted, "You could get some pointers from my sis, she seems to die and come back a lot more than us mere mortals."

Kim stood there with her hands on her hips, "Are we going to eat this sumptuous meal that I slaved over a hot stove cooking or are we going to chat about death and destruction." To emphasize her point Kim raised a solitary eyebrow. "Hmmm..."

Kerry got up and followed Tara into the dining room. Kim rolled her eyes, "So nice of you two to join us. Dig in... I decided to be daring and did an omelet. You criticize, you can make the next one yourself."

Tara took a bite and her eyes bulged. She quickly swallowed, "Oh Goddess, please do Kerry."

Kerry took a bite and winced, "It's a little..."

Dawn put her napkin over her face and quickly took it down, "Spicy..."

"All a bunch of critics. See if I ever make you my flamey omelet ever again. I tell you it is a family recipe."

Kerry took another tentative bite, "Remind me to take your family out to a restaurant when I meet them."

Kim stuck her tongue out at Kerry.


	13. Chapter 13

Tara looked at the clock and then stared back down at her book. "I'm worried now. I mean she...Willow she's..."

Kerry put a tentative hand on Tara's shoulder. She wasn't very used to doing the caring family member thing yet. "Did she say anything before she left?"

"Just that she had to finish something...no..." Tara shot up, "How could I be so stupid. She said she tried to make a deal with Osiris... Osiris... Egyptian god of the d...no..."

Tara grabbed her jacket and flew out the door, not bothering to close it. Dawn was the next one out the door, without a jacket, and Kim and Kerry were close behind.

The three trailing females had no idea where they were going, but soon they saw that Tara had stopped by the railroad tracks and was scanning up and down. She seemed to see something, and dashed to the left. The three females followed her.

Dawn started running when she saw what Tara had knew was going to happen. Willow was standing in the middle of the track. Kerry glanced down at her watch as they got closer to Tara and Willow. "Kim... it's five of..."

Kim closed her eyes, "C'mon..."

Tara was trying to be calm, but her body was shaking even though her voice was pretty steady. "Willow... please don't..."

Willow looked straight forward, "I killed someone Tara. You've never even harmed a fly. Even the one that flew into your ear. You wouldn't let me squish it. A disgusting fly, and you let it go. I killed someone... n-no, I didn't just kill him, I tortured him."

"Willow, you were hurting... i-it makes you do weird things..."

Willow snorted, "Yes, weird things like go out and drink all night, or-or take up tatting, not kill someone you went to high school with."

Tara looked like she either wanted to throttle Willow or break down in tears. "Willow, look at me baby..."

Willow clenched her jaw.

"P-please..." Tara ground her teeth, "Damnit Willow look at me you fiery bitch or I'll put a frog down your shirt."

This got Willow to swing her head and look Tara in the eyes. Tara stared back for a moment and then was over next to Willow in a moment. Kim barely caught Dawn before she dashed after them. Dawn didn't like this, "No, it's not fair. I brought her back...it's not fair." Kim hugged Dawn to her as Dawn started to sob.

Tara was talking at Willow and still not getting any response. "Have you h-heard one thing I've said?"

Willow shook her head negatively. Tara grabbed Willow's face and wrenched it up, "Well damn it listen to me. I love you. I brought you back once, I will do it again. You are not going to kill yourself. You are going to come back with me to the house if I have to fucking drag you there myself."

"You... would you?"

Tara blinked, "I...well...maybe drag is a bit too of a...strengthy word..."

Kerry finally spoke up, "No, I think between Tara, Kim and I we can drag an unconscious you home... would you like to see what kind of bicep muscles years in the ER and all my life using a crutch have made?"

Willow looked between Tara and Kerry, and then over at Dawn and Kim. "I... but... I gave in. All that time, I was just fooling myself, I can't ever give up the magic. I-I want to..." Willow looked at Tara beseechingly, "Please believe me I want to. But it's so..."

Kerry glanced down at her watch and swallowed. Tara saw this, "But do we really have to have this lengthy conversation on a track where a train is going to..." everyone heard the train whistle in the distance.

Willow took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay." They both started walking off the track. Before Tara had even gotten three steps she tripped and fell. Willow tried to yank her back up, but Tara grunted in pain.

"It's stuck. My ankle. Go."

Willow tilted her head, "Oh yeah, that's gonna happen. Remember, veiny, bad black hair job, wafty Osiris god thing happening? Oh, and the eyes, black, and not like a black that goes with my hair. And the ensemble..."

Tara gritted her teeth, "I get it, I get it...I'm... What about... D-dawn?"

Willow looked over at Kerry, Kim and Dawn. Kim practically was holding Dawn in one arm and Kerry in the other to prevent them from trying to get to Tara and Willow. "I think she'll be okay..."

The whistle sounded again and Willow and Tara both looked up at the approaching train. Willow swallowed, "If I kissed you would it be too much like a bad B movie?"

"O-or one of those really badly written pieces of fiction where they kiss, m-make up, and then the hero saves them..."

Willow smiled sadly, "Well, I pissed off our heroine. Sorry about that..."

* * *

Dawn clawed at Kim's arm. Kim was very glad that Kerry hadn't kept trying to get to Tara, because trying to restrain the sixteen year old was hard enough. "No, no, let me go you stupid asshole."

"That's Dr. Stupid Asshole."

Dawn didn't seem to hear Kim. "Why isn't she using magic. Can't they stop the train, make it derail. Something."

Anya and Xander walked up next to the three females and Anya answered. "Even with magic, everything has to go somewhere, there are...at least hundreds of people on that train. Two to hundreds."

Xander looked between his best friend and Anya, but can't Willow make the part keeping the foot there...like...disappear. It's small..."

Anya shook her head, "Same deal. Train could derail. They're pretty much fucked if they do and screwed if they don't."

The train was almost on them. Tara kissed Willow quickly, "I love you Will."

Willow closed her eyes and leaned her head against Tara's, "I love you T, you're my always, everything, and other half." She smiled, "I think I over did the..."

Tara put a finger on Willow's lips, "I get it, and ditto."

Willow smiled, "Hey, that's from Ghost..."

Tara started to smirk, but it was wiped off when she heard the train whistle from only 100 yards away. They both took a deep breath.


	14. Chapter 14

Kim was pushed to one side, "Outta the way gorgeous, platelet." Spike glanced to the oncoming train, then the two women on the track and back to the train. "Oh bollix." He put on a burst of speed for the tracks. When he got there he caught Willow in one hand and yanked Tara up hard. Tara let out a scream as her ankle got dislodged. Then the train whizzed by cutting off both the sound on the other side and the assembled groups vision.

On the other side of the train Spike calmly stood up and brushed his clothes off. Willow looked up at him, "Why?"

Spike bared his teeth, "Don't you think I'm going soft. It pays to keep the slayer... guessing. Plus, you get killed, she has nothing to fight for. Don't get used to it."

With that he sauntered off. Tara was curled up in a ball of pain. "M-my ankle, he... he broke my ankle."

Willow looked down and scrunched up her face, "How'd you managed to stuff a softball under your skin Tara?"

Tara had tears streaming down her face as she laughed, "Not funny... hurts... w-would you l-l-like me to break yours?"

Willow slowly stood up and shook her head, "No...that's okay, I'll sit this one out. Do you think you can stand on it?"

The train finished passing by and the group of Scoobies and Chicagoans made their way over to were Willow and Tara were. Tara rolled her eyes, "Yes Will, maybe we could go dancing too, and then a little mountain c-climbing. And that'll just be t-tonight."

Willow started to respond and then closed her mouth, "So then it hurts?"

Kerry interrupted, "Tara, can you put your weight on your left foot?" Tara nodded and rolled into position with a wince. "Okay, take my hand."

Tara frowned, "I don't w-want t-to... you know... throw off your balance... or, or anything."

Kerry smiled, "Trust me. Okay. Grip my left hand. There we go." Kerry planted her right foot and her crutch and slowly pulled Tara up.

Xander and Willow moved in and each took one of Tara's arms and slung it over their shoulders. Kerry re-arranged herself, settling her clothes back into position. "Don't put any weight on it at all. It looks like the bone didn't break cleanly."

Xander piped up, "Take it from someone with much bone breaking experience, clean is good, un-clean... baaaaddd..."

Tara finally spoke up again, "C-can we...we just get to the hospital... before... I pass out?"

Everyone was still standing there. Kerry took a deep breath and hurfed it out. Kim smirked and took a step away from the chief. "Well, what the hell are you lolly gagging around here for then? Get a move on it before you have to carry her there without her help. What are you all ten year olds?"

Kim laughed out loud as the troops got moving promptly. Kerry elbowed her in the gut, "Not helping the image here Miss Legaspi."

Kim smiled, "They have a tight bond huh? I mean, even the Vamp there helped out Tara and Willow."

Kerry nodded, "From what William said while intoxicated they've been through a hell of a lot. Some of it even caused by him." Kerry leaned on Kim's proffered arm. "Thanks." Kim smiled as they climbed back to the house. "You know, I'm gonna have to quit my job."

Kim nodded slowly, "I thought that you would have realized that... uh... you were the one who brought up the whole... moving here."

Kerry rolled her eyes as they got to the house. "It's just hitting me. I've spent most of my..." Kerry trailed off. "Okay... so... they left without us."

A British accent spoke up from behind them. "Excuse me, but are you looking for someone?"

Kerry closed her eyes, and mumbled, "Don't you think the friggin' plot is thick enough all ready. Tara and Willow are started on the process back to couple hood. Anya and Xander have magically reconciled off page, Spike is evil, Buffy is depressed, we're all happy and not fighting. It's a party."

"Stop"

Everything stopped except for Kerry.

The voice from booth spoke again, "Look, would you like it all to get fixed in a satisfactory manner or do you want shoddy workmanship that is going to disintegrate after a few more episodes? Hmmm...?"

Kerry put her hands on her hips, "Don't you think the train thing was a bit much?"

"Why do you say that?"

Kerry shrugged, "Kinda been over done. You could have tied her to the track. Would have made it just a little more clichéd."

"Uh huh... and how would I accomplish that. Yes, of course, she'd have to do it herself...oh wait. Only two hands."

Kerry rolled her eyes, "She could, oh my god, she could use magic. Go figure."

The voice in the booth started to sound a little...peeved. "Would you like to finish the story? Maybe put a little...romance...in there." Kerry shook her head, "See, you're even getting less subtle. I'm assuming that was a thinly veiled dig. You know, everyone thinks Carol wrote that book." The voice in the booth snorted, "Well thank you but I'm very much fine right here. Everybody loves me. Now you...gotta keep their attention or no one reads you. Fade into the background. How about them apples."

"Well, I could make you an even bigger bitch."

Kerry laughed, "I dare you. And what's up with me letting a bloody killer be a bloody killer. I mean... sure I'm rough around the edges but I mean... c'mon... be re..."

The voice in the booth interrupted Kerry. "Start"

"...sonable."

Kim turned to Kerry, "What did you say?"

Kerry frowned and shook her head. She turned to where the voice came from, "Hey, I'm Tara's Aunt, how nice to meet you."


	15. Chapter 15

"Where is she, I'll kick her ass?"

Tara looked up as Buffy came into the living room of the Summers' house. "Willow is in the kitchen with Giles and Kim. Please, leave them alone." Buffy looked over at Tara with doubt in her eyes. "She has enough guilt as it is. Put yourself in her place."

Buffy frowned but nodded after a moment. Kim came into the living room. "Kerry, Patriot..."

Kerry smiled, "Called Gallant, he's going to go feed Patriot and make sure the apartment is okay. No worries. Just tell me you didn't do the cooking in there?"

Kim stuck her tongue out at Kerry, "No, I've already been banned. Rupert isn't doing much better though. Willow is mumbling something about how he doesn't make the shapes ones right. Umm...would you mind..."

Kerry wearily rolled off the couch and started towards the kitchen. "You're gonna owe me Legaspi... but I wouldn't want you to go hungry..."

Kim smirked, "Would be shirking your girlfriendly duty."

Kerry shook her head, "Nope, I would be facing your roaring stomach." Kerry marched into the kitchen. "Rupert, out, Willow... stay."

Giles looked startled but quickly beat a hasty retreat out of the kitchen. Willow looked apprehensive. "Can you cook?"

Kerry laughed, "Yes, so, anything in particular that is lying around to put in these pancakes."

"In... like... between two... or like in the batter. I-I think Dawn might also like some shapes pancakes. Are you really Tara's aunt? You do bear a striking resemblance to the pictures."

Kerry laughed again as she peered in the refrigerator for something she could stuff in the pancakes. Anything to make this group crack some sort of smile. Everyone was acting like the Addam's Family at a Wedding. "Well, I'm as sure as I can be without things like DNA tests."

"It's just... well, her family has always let her down. Her Mom was kinda the only one there for her. I just... I don't have any right, 'specially lately, but still."

Kerry glanced up from her preparations at Willow, "You babble a lot when you're nervous huh?"

Willow opened her mouth and closed it again, "And you get all bossy lady like." Kerry raised an eyebrow at Willow. "Could you get the spatula from where it hangs." Willow barely restrained herself from sticking out her tongue and saying, 'See'.

They worked in silence for a moment. Kerry surprisingly was the one who broke the silence. "You were asking me if I was going to hurt Tara like everyone else in her family has." Willow nodded, "Well, I was going to break her ankle and then skedaddle out of town, but, ankle's already broken. So there went my plan." Willow frowned at Kerry who rolled her eyes, "That was sarcasm, very witty by my usual standards."

Willow smiled weakly. "Sorry, I'm not with the whole living world quite yet. Plus, think I'm starting with the whole jitter and sweat thing again."

Kerry put the pancakes that were done so far on a plate and continued making them. Making sure to make a few squares, and even a Mickey (or Minnie if you prefer). "Okay, you, go upstairs, get all comfy. I'll have Kim get Tara upstairs, then I'll bring you two some of my blueberry pancakes, guaranteed to help all the bad jitters go away, with the support of Tara of course."

"Uh...isn't that Chicken Soup."

Kerry smirked, "Nope, it's everything I cook..."

Willow started laughing, and couldn't seem to stop. Kerry poked her head out into the living room. "Kim..." Kim came over and planted a kiss on Kerry's lips. "Enough of that... you're making Rupert blush." Kim smirked. "I need you to get Tara upstairs. Willow's having... uh... Magic withdrawals... again... I think a little supportage from her girl will help."

Kim smiled mischievously, "You know you're talking like them right?" Kerry glared indignantly at Kim, but Kim just laughed and planted a kiss on Kerry's cheek. "Is Rupert still blushing."

"Wiping his glasses. Now shoo...I'll be up with the pancakes and Willow in a second...no syrup though...as we have experienced...slightly messy when it is...eaten...on the bed."

Kim laughed a full throated laugh, "You just said a mouthful. Okay...I'm on it Ma'am." Kim winked before she left to go get Tara. Kerry shook her head.


	16. Chapter 16

One Month Later

* * *

Kerry relaxed into Kim on their new couch as they watched the Sunnydale Evening News. "Who knew that moving into a town could be so easy."

Kim nodded, "I think that they have a bit of a high turnover rate here over the Hellmouth."

Kerry flipped the channel to some comedy, tired of all the 'unexplained' death stories. "Hey... Keeping up Appearances... haven't seen this in a while."

Kim glanced boredly at the T.V. "Right hon." This got her a jab in the stomach, "What... what did I say..."

Kerry just raised an eyebrow and settled back down. "I also won't complain at the coincidence that the Chief of the ER had...um..."

"Gotten turned?"

Kerry nodded, "Something like that. How is being Chief Psych Doc going?"

Kim breathed and aggrieved sigh, "I never, ever, thought that I would find a hospital that had more crazies...I mean, more people to...help...than County. And yet...I did." Kerry laughed, "Oh, you think it's funny huh...I'm just glad I missed the Glory thing. Some of the other Doctors and Nurses gave me a run down...in vivid detail."

Kerry nodded, "Yeah, I got one too...and a warning to look out for a young adult woman who is relatively short, unnaturally strong, and gets hurt...a lot."

Kim laughed, "If only they knew... So, how are you and Tara doing?"

Kerry shrugged, "Her ankle is doing much better. She's told me a lot about her...my... our family history." Kerry looked up at Kim and wiggled her eyebrows, "I might have a bit of Magic in me..."

Kim smiled and tweaked Kerry's nose, "See, you finally realize what I've known all along, you're chock full of beautiful Kerry Weaver magic. So glad I didn't lose that..."

Kerry looked into Kim's eyes again, "Yeah, me too. Who knew that a Vampire could be so useful?"

Kim shrugged, "Not I dear lady. Now, let's see what Mrs. Bucket...oops I mean...Bouquet is getting up to this week." Kerry laughed and they both focused on the T.V. again.

* * *

Tara and Willow laid sprawled out on the Summers' house roof. Even though Willow was the one who was mostly on the roof, and Tara was mostly on Willow. "You know T, it was so much easier to do this on the dorm roof than on this very pointy and slightly ouchie roof..."

Tara turned her head towards Willow, "You want to get down."

Willow kissed Tara for a bit before she answered, "Not on your life missy...oh...I mean..."

Tara rubbed Willow's stomach absentmindedly and gave her a quick kiss. "It's okay...c'mon Miss star watcher. See any new constellations tonight.

Willow tilted her head to one side, "Little pile 'o crackers, the Short Man looking uncomfortable, don't see the big pineapple though. Circinus, Libra, Lupus, Ursa Minor."

Tara smiled, "Teach me..."

Willow stuttered, "W-what?"

"I taught you my constellations, teach me yours..."

Willow blinked rapidly, "I...okay...I mean, they're not mine. But..." she smiled, "I'll try to see if I can dredge them up from the summers of my youth." Tara laughed, and Willow started, "Well, there's um,

Lynx, and Cassiopia, which is the one that I was blabbering on about before... when... before. And... uh... Ursa Major. And of course, you know the North star. And I'm totally not having a recall night tonight."

Tara glanced down at Willow and back at the sky, "And Camelopardalis, Auriga, Cepheus..."

Willow laughed, "I knew you were a closet nerd."

A grin edged onto Tara's face, "Yep, that's me, I'm coming out of the closet again. You want to go in? You must be getting kinda..."

"Bruisy?"

Tara chuckled, "Something like that. Next time..."

Willow nodded, "Yeah, next time, we use the ground...but...it seemed like such a good idea at the time."

Tara threaded her hands through Willow's hair and gave her a lingering kiss, "You're ideas are always good Willow..."

Willow smirked, "Well, now that you mention it...I've been having this...reoccurring idea. Mostly has you, me, and our bed."

Tara nodded, barely keeping the smile off her face, "Oh, you want to go to sleep. I'm kinda tired too..."

Willow gave Tara a sideways look, "Well, if you want to sleep, go ahead, but I don't plan on doing a lot of sleeping..." Tara finally let her laugh bubble out. "Goddess, I love you Willow Rosenberg."

Willow scrunched her eyes up, "Jeeze, you're gonna make me cry or something. I love you too Tara Maclay, even if you are a nerd."

* * *

Fin - May 13th, 2002


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